New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Misato FG4’

ABSTRACT

A New Guinea  Impatiens  cultivar particularly distinguished by its high blooming temperature and large white with pink blush flowers is disclosed.

Genus and species: Impatiens×hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Misato FG4’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea impatiens, botanically known as Impatiens×hybrida, andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Misato FG4’. ‘Misato FG4’originated from an interspecific hybridization between Impatiens‘02-DC’, an unpatented proprietary light purple-flowered impatiensbreeding line, and Impatiens ‘02-2’, an unpatented proprietarywhite-flowered impatiens breeding line, in Misato, Japan. In 2002, thetwo Impatiens species were crossed and a population of F₁ plants wascreated.

The F₁ plants were evaluated in Misato, Japan in 2004 in an open fieldtrial. Criteria for selection included mounding growth habit, toleranceto heat and cold, vigorous rooting, white with pink blush flower colorand overall plant vigor. At the end of the trial, one single-plantselection was made based on the above criteria and vegetativelypropagated. The plant was trialed in Athens, Ga. and Salinas, Calif. Theselection subsequently was named ‘Misato FG4’ and found to retain itsdistinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar were applied for in Canada onApr. 19, 2005. No sales or offers for sale of this cultivar were madebefore Apr. 19, 2005.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Salinas, Calif.

-   -   1. White with pink blush flower color    -   2. Tolerance to heat and cold    -   3. Vigorous rooting    -   4. Overall plant vigor

DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS

This new impatiens plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographswhich show overall plant habit including blooms, buds, and foliage ofthe plant; the colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained byconventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1. The photograph shows overall plant habit including blooms, budsand foliage.

FIG. 2. The photograph shows the mature inflorescence.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘Misato FG4’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inSalinas, Calif. The plant history was taken on plants grown for aboutfour months from propagation by terminal cuttings under greenhouseconditions. Color references are primarily to The R.H.S. Colour Chart ofThe Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S), 4^(th) edition(2001). Anatomic labels are from The Cambridge Illustrated Glossary ofBotanical Terms by M. Hickey and C. Kink, Cambridge University Press.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Balsaminaceae.        -   Botanical.—Impatiens interspecific cross            (Impatiens×hybrida).        -   Common name.—Impatiens.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—‘02-DC’, a proprietary Impatiens breeding            line (unpatented).        -   Male parent.—‘02-2’, a proprietary Impatiens breeding line            (unpatented).-   Growth:    -   -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—The terminal 1.0 to 1.5            inches of an actively growing stem was excised. The base of            the cuttings were dipped for 1 to 2 seconds in a 1:9            solution of DIP 'N GROW (1 solution: 9 water) root-inducing            solution immediately prior to sticking into the cell trays.            Cuttings were stuck into plastic cell trays having 98 cells            and containing a moistened peat moss-based growing medium.            The cuttings were misted with water from overhead for 10            seconds every 30 minutes until sufficient roots were formed.            The vegetative cuttings were propagated in five to six            weeks.        -   Environmental conditions for plant growth.—Rooted cuttings            were transplanted and grown in 20 cm diameter plastic pots            in a glass greenhouse located in Salinas, Calif. Pots            contained a peat moss-based growing medium. Soluble            fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 20%            potassium was applied once a day or every other day by            overhead irrigation. Pots were top-dressed with a dry, slow            release fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus            and 18% potassium. The typical average air temperature was            24° C.        -   Time to bloom from propagation.—6-8 weeks.-   Plant description:    -   -   Habit.—Upright and branching.        -   Height.—20.0-24.0 cm as measured from soil line to top of            foliage.        -   Spread.—33.0-45.0 cm.        -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—6-8 weeks.        -   Outdoor plant performance.—Will flower as long as the            temperature is above 5° C.        -   Temperature tolerance.—Plants have been observed to            continuously flower at a temperature range of 5° C.-36° C.        -   Life cycle.—Tender perennial.        -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—About 4 weeks.-   Branches:    -   -   Number.—6-8 per plant.        -   Length.—12.0-14.4 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.5-0.8 cm.-   Stems:    -   -   Length.—3.5-4.0 cm from soil line to first node.        -   Diameter.—1.0-1.2 cm.        -   Internode length.—4.9-5.9 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 143C (green).        -   Stem description.—Strong; circular cross-section.        -   Pubescence.—Slight.        -   Stem pubescence color.—RHS N155A (white).        -   Anthocyanin color.—N77A (purple).        -   Pedicels texture.—Dull; slightly pubescent.        -   Peduncles.—Length: 5.2-6.6 cm. Color: RHS 144B            (yellow-green). Texture: Dull; slightly pubescent.-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite if two leaves are at one node and            whorled if more than two leaves are at one node.        -   Length.—10.0-12.5 cm.        -   Width.—4.3-4.9 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptic to lanceolate.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Shortly attenuate.        -   Color.—Upper surface: Closest to RHS 136A (green). Lower            surface: RHS 191B (grayed-green).        -   Texture.—Dull and sticky.        -   Variegation.—Absent.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.        -   Pubescence.—Slight.        -   Pubescence color.—RHS N155A (white).        -   Venation.—Pinnate.        -   Venation color.—Upper surface: RHS 143D (green). Lower            surface: RHS 143D (green).        -   Petioles.—Length: 0.6-0.7 cm. Color: RHS 143D (green).            Texture: Dull; slightly pubescent.-   Flower buds:    -   -   Shape.—Deltoid (longitudinal cross-section).        -   Length.—1.3-1.4 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.8-1.0 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 144B (yellow-green).        -   Texture.—Glabrous.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Blooming habit.—Will flower as long as the temperature is            above 5° C.        -   Inflorescence type.—Single flower with spur.        -   Number of flowers per node.—3-5 in bloom at any one time.        -   Number of flowers per plant.—10-25 flowers and buds            depending on amount of pinching during growth.        -   Flower form.—Roughly circular with 5 radial petals.        -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—Greater than            14 days (no upper limit yet observed).        -   Fragrance.—Absent.-   Flowers:    -   -   Immature flower.—Color: Same as mature color (does not            darken or fade over time).        -   Mature flower.—Color: Upper surface: RHS N155A (white).            Lower surface: RHS N155A (white) with RHS 58B (red-purple)            markings around mid-vein. Eye zone: RHS N155A (white).            Diameter: 6.0 cm. Depth: 1.1-1.5 cm.-   Petals:    -   -   Shape.—Obcordate.        -   Length.—2.1-3.4 cm.        -   Width.—2.3-4.0 cm.        -   Apex.—Emarginate (cleaved).        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Petal texture.—Glabrous.        -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS N155A (white). Lower surface: RHS            N155A (white) with RHS 58B (red-purple) markings around            mid-vein. Eye zone: RHS N155A (white).-   Spur:    -   -   Shape.—Tubular and curved downward.        -   Color.—RHS N155A (white) at base fading to RHS 145A            (yellow-green) at tip.        -   Length.—4.7-5.6 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.2-0.3 cm.-   Sepals:    -   -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Caudate.        -   Base.—Subcordate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture.—Dull; slightly pubescent.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Form: Fused; split into 4 lobes. Number: Many.            Filament color: RHS N155A (white). Anther color: RHS 71B            (red-purple). Pollen amount: Heavy. Pollen color: RHS 2C            (yellow). Pollen description: Powdery.        -   Pistil.—Number: 5. Stigma color: RHS 144A (yellow-green).            Style color: RHS 144A (yellow-green).        -   Ovary arrangement.—Parietal.        -   Fruit/seed set.—Little to none observed.-   Disease and insect resistance: None observed.

COMPARISON WITH KNOWN CULTIVARS

‘Misato FG4’ differs from the female parent, ‘02-DC’, a proprietaryImpatiens breeding line (unpatented), in that ‘Misato FG4’ has whitewith pink blush flowers while ‘02-DC’ has light purple flowers.

‘Misato FG4’ differs from the male parent, ‘02-2’, a proprietaryImpatiens breeding line (unpatented), in that ‘Misato FG4’ has whitewith pink blush flowers while ‘02-2’ has white flowers.

‘Misato FG4’ is similar to the commercial Impatiens variety ‘Balfaforg’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,690) (known commercially as ‘Fanfare Orange’)however, there are differences as listed in the table below:

TABLE 1 Comparison of Characteristics between ‘Misato FG4’ and‘Balfaforg’ Characteristic ‘Misato FG4’ ‘Balfaforg’ Growth habitUpright, branching Trailing Flowering Can flower above 30° C. Cannotflower above 30° C. temperature Flower diameter About 6.0 cm About 5 cmFlower color White with pink blush Orange

1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant as shownand described herein.